How to Teach Critical Thinking Skills to Children

Dr. Tali Shenfield | September 10, 2015

In recent years, critical thinking has replaced rote learning as the priority skill in most classrooms; gone are the days when simply regurgitating information regarding historical facts and figures, geography, times tables, etc., was sufficient to be deemed an exemplary student. Instead, today's students are valued as much—or more—for their ability to engage in rational analysis of the subject matter at hand.

Critical thinking is defined as being nonlinear, open-ended, and complex; it acknowledges that there is often no one “right” answer, but rather multiple potential productive responses informed by varying perspectives and interpretations. Naturally, this form of thinking asks much more of the brain than mere memorization, as it requires the student to draw on skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Critical thinking demands that students master the mechanics of thinking itself, rather than simply ascertaining what they are expected to know.

What is more difficult to learn is, of course, also more difficult to teach, but educators have come up with a number of methods for encouraging critical thinking (all of which parents may emulate at home), such as:

- Asking open-ended questions: Open-ended questions are those which are intended to make a child think creatively; they lack a single right answer, so children are less hesitant to experiment with possible solutions due to fear of answering incorrectly.

At home, open-ended questions should be asked in a casual manner, so that the child is relaxed when answering. Open-ended questions generally begin with words like “what”, “how”, “who”, and “why”; e.g. “How would you redesign your favourite board game to make it even more fun?”

- Encouraging children to categorize and classify information: Asking children to classify information requires them to independently discover the rule or set of rules by which said information could be organized, a valuable critical thinking tool. This particular lesson is easily made into a “game” at home; children may be asked to sort toys, food, clothing, and other items, and then be questioned on why they chose to sort them as they did.

- Encouraging children to work in groups: This does more than promote the development of social skills—it also puts children in a situation where they will receive multiple perspectives on the issues and goals present. This effectively demonstrates to them that there are multiple ways to solve most problems.

- Prompting children to make decisions: Instead of trying to enforce their own wisdom, educators are more and more prompting children to think for themselves, weigh up pros and cons, and then make their own final decisions. As a parent, you should likewise not shy away from allowing your child to make mistakes now and then; just be sure to ask him or her to review, and learn from, bad decisions.

- Asking children to find patterns in the world around them: Children should be asked to observe patterns and connections throughout diverse situations; this can be achieved through, for example, asking your child to relate his or her favourite show to a real life situation, or asking him or her to count certain types of cars or sign shapes while on a road trip.

- Engaging children in debates regarding social and global issues: As children grow older, parents and educators should engage them in thoughtful conversation about the social and global issues they become interested in. These issues are inherently complex and difficult to suggest any one solution for, so they are ideal for encouraging the further development of critical thinking skills.

If you as a parent notice your child does not respond well to prompts for verbal debate (more introverted children may not desire such, and it ought not to be forced), you should instead observe what he or she is interested in on his or her own time. Note the complexity of these activities and ensure that it is sufficient; if it is not, try to find ways to draw on the core concepts your child enjoys to engage him or her in something more mentally stimulating.

In addition to drawing on the above methods, parents may inspire critical thinking in their children in a multitude of smaller, more everyday ways. Simply by including children in your own decisions, such as the most efficient way to complete household chores or the most inexpensive way to complete your grocery shopping, you can do much to encourage your child to navigate the world more critically. Likewise, remember to always describe your own critical thinking processes in detail.

The use of effective critical thinking is absolutely vital to navigating the complexities of adult life optimally; supporting and nurturing these skills (even in gifted children, who may show a natural inclination for them), is therefore an essential precursor to both personal and professional success.

 

 

Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25228175@N08/6078274383

About Tali Shenfield

Dr. Tali Shenfield holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Toronto and is a licensed school and clinical psychologist. She has taught at the University of Toronto and has worked at institutions including the Hospital for Sick Children, Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, TDSB, and YCDSB. Dr. Shenfield is the Founder and Clinical Director of Advanced Psychology Services.

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